Automatic lubricator



(ModeL) S. H. JENKS.

Automatic Lubrioator.

No. 232,039. I Patented Sept. 7,1880.

Inventor:

W 4 mw/z/w N. PEYERS, PMQTO' LFTMDGRAPMER. WASHINGTON, D C,

Witnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STILLMAN H. J ENKS, OF IONIA, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATO R.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 232,039, dated September7, 1880.

Application filed July 31, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STILLMAN H. J units, of Ionia, in the county ofIonia and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in AutomaticLubricators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to simplify the construction andfacilitate the adjustment of the condensing space in that class oflubricators susceptible of such adjustment by external means while underpressure of steam; and it consists in the combination of a revolvin gsleeve-tube provided with a series of holes arranged spirally around it,or with a spiral slot, with a stationary tube provided with a verticalslot, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, representing a partly-vertical section ofmy improved lubricator, A represents the oil-ch amber, which is for themost part of cylindrical form, with its upper portion conical on itsinterior. In the lower end of this chamber is screwed a plug, B,extending centrally upward to the apex of the cone. Through this plug isa passage, a, from its upper to its lower extremity, as represented bydotted lines. This passage is controlled by a screw'valve, 0, having astudin g-boX, E, around its stem to prevent leakage. Another passage, 0,controlled by the screwvalve D, com mnnicatcs with the lower portion ofthe chamber A, by means of which the water of condensation may be drawnoft previous to recharging the chamber with oil or other lubricant. Thelower extremity, B, of this plug is to be connected by screw orotherwise to the valve-box or cylinder-head of the steamengine.

At the apex of the cone A is secured aplug, G, which forms the cover,and is to be removed only for replenishing the chamber with oil. Passingvertically through this plug is a stem, H, provided with a knob or othersuitable device, I, at its upper end, by which it may be rotated. It isalso provided with a stufling-box, L, to prevent leakage. The lowerportion, lb, of this stem forms a sleeve fitting steam-tight over andaround the upper cylindrical portion (Model.)

of the plug 13, which latter has a vertical slot, 1", in one side,communicating with the central passage, (1, while the sleeve It has aseries of holes, a, arranged spirally around it, the upper one of whichis on a level with the upper end of the slot 1", near the apex of theconical portion A of the oil-chamber, and the lowest one is on a levelwith the lower end of said slot and about level with the base of saidconical portion. Instead of this series of holes a, and I thinkpreferably, a spiral slot may be substituted.

To the upper portion of the plug G is attached by three or more arms, g,a rim or ring, at, by which it may be screwed in or out of the chamberA. The upper side of this ring is graduated and marked in as many equalparts as there are holes a in the circumference of the sleeve h, whilean index, 8, attached to the spindle or stem H, pointing to any one ofthese marks, indicates which one of the holes a registers with the slotr, No. 1 being the uppermost and No. 8 thelowest, which latter is notseen in the drawing. The spiral slot will act in the same manner, theintersection of the vertical slot by said spiral being the point ofdischarge.

In using this apparatus, first close the valves 0 and D, remove the plugG, and fill the chamber A with oil or other lubricant to near the baseof the cone A, and replace the plug G. Then open the valve G, when a jetof steam will pass up into the cone at every stroke of the piston of theengine, and, condensing there, will sink to the bottom, raising the oilin the chamber until it reaches the level of the hole a, that is overthe slot 0", when it will begin to feed down into the cylinder of theengine to lubricate its piston and valves. The quantity supplied will beequal to the quantity of Water produced by condensation of the steaminjected into the cone at each stroke of the enginepiston, which, itwill be seen, may be nicely adjusted by simply rotating the knob I tobring a higher or lower portion of the spiral to intersect the verticalslot 4', thus enlarging or diminishing the area of thecondensingchamber.

2 I eaaose When the oil is all exhausted the valve 0 may be closed, thewater of condensation drawn off by opening the valve D, and the chamberrefilled with oil, as before described,

5 without stopping the engine.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Therotating sleeve h, provided with a series of holes, n, arranged spirallyaround it, or with a spiral slot, in combination with the fixed 1o tubeB, having a vertical slot, 1", substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

STILLMAN H. JENKS. Witnesses:

O. O. THOMPSON, E. E. HALL.

